Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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It is proposed to take No. 26, Houses of the Oireachtas Commission (Amendment) Bill 2012 Seanad - Order for Report Stage and Report and Final Stages; and No. 1, Health Service Executive (Governance) Bill 2012 Seanad - Second Stage (resumed).

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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There are no proposals to be put to the House.

Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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I wish to ask about two items of legislation. The Minister will be aware of the importance to the economy of our reputation as an excellent food producer. Will the Government consider amending the Food Safety Authority of Ireland Act 1998 to allow for all imported foods to be fully declared? In the context of the recent beefburger controversy, that would enhance our reputation as a producer of excellent food.

The judicial council Bill is promised in the legislative programme. The Bill is intended to deal with complaints made against judges and will allow lay participation in the investigation of these complaints. When is it proposed to publish it?

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I understand the judicial council Bill will be ready later this year. In regard to food safety, there are no plans in terms of what has been outlined by the Deputy. However, he will be aware that the Food Safety Authority of Ireland has introduced a system of DNA testing that is among the best and most scientifically advanced in the world.

That is what led to the recent discoveries with regard to burger meat. The fact that these discoveries were made in Ireland is testament to how rigorous and scientific our examination is of food. The reputation of Irish food is of tremendous importance and value to the country and the farmers who produce it. This is part of the reason Ireland has such a strong international reputation. With regard to the recent controversy, there are strong indications that all of the companies which have changed suppliers have indicated they will consider sourcing meat and products from other Irish suppliers. This is testament to the strength of scientific food research in Ireland.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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When will the report of Professor John Higgins on the establishment of hospital groups be published? It has caused considerable disquiet in the south east, in particular. Has it been given to the Government? When might it be published and when will we have a chance to debate it?

When will the promised consolidated domestic violence legislation be brought before the House?

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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We expect to receive the report of Professor Higgins shortly, but I do not have a specific date. I do not have a date of publication of the consolidated domestic violence legislation, but I will come back to the Deputy on the matter.

Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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When will the social welfare and pensions Bill be published and when is it scheduled for debate in the Dáil? Will the Minister clarify the Government's plan to deduct at source from the income of social welfare recipients the so-called property tax? Will the mechanics for this be provided in the social welfare and pensions Bill or will there be new legislation from her Department? As a Labour Party Minister representing a constituency with an acute unemployment problem and given the hardship that follows austerity, will she seriously stand over the robbing of hundreds of euro from social welfare recipients and people on the poverty line by way of the new so-called property tax to bail out further bondholders and bankers?

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I expect the social welfare and pensions Bill - the second social welfare Bill or the summer social welfare Bill, as it is termed - to be brought before the House early in the summer. With regard to the property tax, the legislation presented to the Dáil by the Minister for Finance and passed provided for a series of payment options, including making arrangements through the PAYE system and also through the social welfare and pensions system. These option will be available should people wish to exercise them.

Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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For clarification purposes, is the Minister saying no further legislation is needed to provide for deduction at source of the new family home tax?

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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This is not Question Time; we cannot go into the detail of Bills. If the matter concerns separate legislation, I ask the Minister to respond.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The local property tax was dealt with in the legislation brought forward by the Minister for Finance before Christmas. I do not know if the Deputy had an opportunity to follow that debate, but all of the issues to which he referred were dealt with in that legislation.

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Independent)
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I wish to ask about two items of promised legislation. First, what is the expected publication date of the Finance Bill? Second, with regard to the estimated number of 20,000 people whose homes are affected by pyrite, when will the legislation providing for the establishment of the pyrite panel be published?

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I understand the Finance Bill is expected to be published within the next couple of weeks, but I do not have a specific date. The proposed legislation to deal with the issue of pyrite is being worked on.

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Independent)
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Is there an expected publication date?

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The Minister is anxious to progress it as quickly as possible and I think he expects it to be published this year.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Have the heads of the criminal justice (legal aid) Bill and the criminal justice (victims' rights) Bill been discussed by the Cabinet and when are they expected to be brought before the House? Will it be this session or later?

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The first of the Bills mentioned is expected later this year, while the second is expected before the end of this session.

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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The Government, because of its policies, is the most anti-rural Administration the country has ever seen.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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Does the Deputy have a question?

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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In the context of the criminal justice Bill, will the Government do a U-turn on the closure of Garda stations? We have solid proof that it will cost more to keep these stations closed rather than open.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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That issue could be raised by way a parliamentary question or as a Topical Issue.

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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In the context of the social welfare and pensions Bill, it is as if people who appeal a decision made on a social welfare payment are sent to purgatory because the appeals process goes on and on. The Minister ignored this issue when she responded earlier. Colleagues, including Members on the Government side, are aware of cases, but they cannot speak out because they must defend the Minister.

Ann Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Labour)
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The Deputy is going on and on.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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In fairness, many other Deputies want to put their questions.

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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I am asking a question about people involved in the appeals process. What is the Minister going to do to reduce the time spent in that process?

Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)
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That speech is out of order.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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I ask the Minister whether legislation has been promised.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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On the Deputy's first question, there are 14 criminal justice Bills and I am not clear on which of them he is referring to. Perhaps he might tell us which one he has in mind.

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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It is very clear that we are asking the Government to keep the Garda stations open.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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That is a different issue.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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On the issue of social welfare appeals, I will communicate to the Deputy some of the data I released last week which pointed to significant time reductions with regard to FIS, domiciliary care allowance and invalidity benefit applications. They also set out the figures with regard to disability benefit. I will supply that information to the Deputy. I am happy to say the new IT structures, although it is taking time to put them in place, are capable of dealing with the increased volume of applications under all scheme headings. I am as anxious as the Deputy to see waiting times reduced and have complimented staff in the Department on reducing domiciliary care allowance application times to approximately six weeks and family income supplement application times to a similar timespan.

Ann Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Labour)
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In view of the discussion which has taken place in the Chamber this morning on criminality, when will we have a date of publication for the legislation which will recognise that the establishment of a DNA database has a hugely significant role to play in solving crime?

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I understand that legislation will be available and brought before the House later this year.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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I want to ask about the newest industry in town. The Government is talking about job creation. However, the only job creation I see is the expansion of receivership companies. During the week money was paid to KPMG and other lucrative receivership businesses for advice. The Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (Amendment) Act 2011 is being used as a cloak. Neighbours of the Chief Whip in County Wexford are being terrorised by security companies which are on private property, even though they have no business being there. They are acting on behalf of Mr. Kieran Wallace.

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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It was sorted out this morning.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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The Minister of State should listen to what I am saying about what is happening in his constituency.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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A question, please.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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Will the Government do anything to check the legalities and illegal activities of so-called agents acting on behalf of receivership companies? They state it is being done in the public interest, but it is not. It is in the disinterest of the public, to which it is grossly offensive.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I am not clear on the legislation to which the Deputy is referring.

Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)
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There is not any.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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I have mentioned the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (Amendment) Act 2011.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I will come back to the Deputy on the matter.

Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)
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There are plenty of laws in this area already.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I do not have the information to hand.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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I thank the Minister.

John O'Mahony (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I want to inquire about the proposed legislation in the free legal aid area. In the past two years almost €500,000 has been spent on free legal aid in criminal cases in County Mayo. This money is being used to fund career criminals and the matter needs to be addressed urgently. We need to support the victims of crime rather than funding the perpetrators of crime.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I understand the legislation in question will be available and brought before the House later this year.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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On the sale, consumption and misuse of alcohol, it is widely accepted that the Minister's colleague, the former Minister of State, Deputy Róisín Shortall, did extensive work in preparing the sale of alcohol Bill. Last week in the House an attempt was made to suggest the former Minister of State's work was not as extensive as the public had been led to believe. What level of priority is the current Minister of State with responsibility for this issue, Deputy Alex White, giving to this important legislation which has quite a degree of public support?

Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)
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It is a top priority.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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When might we see publication of the sale of alcohol Bill?

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The Deputy is correct when he says the former Minister of State, Deputy Róisín Shortall, worked very hard on this issue.

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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That is not what the leader of the Minister's party suggested last week.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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Why did the Government not keep her?

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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She was shafted.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Her successor, the Minister of State, Deputy Alex White, is working equally hard on it.

Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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He would want to be careful in case he is next to get the boot.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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He expects to be able to publish the legislation later this year.

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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The draft heads of the Children First legislation were published in the first half of 2012. When will this important Bill be brought before the House? Is this to be another broken promise? Will the children of Ireland be forgotten, as they were when the Labour Party broke its promise to maintain child benefit rates? Will this important legislation be prioritised in this session?

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I am sure Fianna Fáil did not spend 30 years discussing the holding of a children's rights referendum, but it felt like that. I think it was more like 15 or 17 years. Within two years of taking office, the Government held the referendum in which the people voted in favour.

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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The Minister nearly cocked it up.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The legislation will be brought before the House before the end of this session.

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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What advice did the Attorney General give on the booklet?

Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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The Government kept that one promise.

Dara Murphy (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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We have had significant success in attracting foreign direct investment into the country. I understand that if we are to continue that success, some amendments to the Gaming and Lotteries Act 1956 will have to be made. Will we see these amendments in this term?

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I do not believe they are on the legislative list for this term. However, a great deal of work is being done on them. I do not yet have a date for the Bill in question.

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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I note that the Committee Stage debate on the Criminal Justice (Spent Convictions) Bill 2012 has concluded in the Seanad. The Bill in question has been in gestation for over one year at this stage. How quickly can we expect it to proceed through the remaining Stages and actually be brought into law?

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I understand the Bill is to be discussed at a forthcoming Whips' meeting. Therefore, I do not have a date for it at this point. The Whips will discuss it shortly.

Michelle Mulherin (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The Minister might advise me on when she expects the legislation to allow approved voluntary contribution policyholders to withdraw a 30% tranche to be enacted. There is a great deal of interest in this legislation because it will make it possible for some people to sort out their debt problems.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The Minister for Finance made an announcement in this regard on budget day. I assume he will deal with the matter further in the context of the Finance Bill which will be published in the next couple of weeks.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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I would like to ask about three Bills. First, when is the forestry Bill due for publication? Will it include a provision for the sale of State assets, a matter of huge concern for many? Second, when will the consumer and competition Bill be published? Ar an tríú dul síos, cén uair a dhéanfar foilsiú ar Bhille le leasú a dhéanamh ar Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla 2003?

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The forestry Bill and the consumer and competition Bill are both due to be published before the end of this session.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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I also asked a specific question about Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla 2003. When will the official languages (amendment) Bill be published?

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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It will be published later this year.